2014 Boardman CX Team… Does it do what it says on the tin?

I normally clean my cx twice
I normally clean my cx twice a week in winter, I have on it my stand and check everything all the time. If I was to draw one positive from all the issue I’ve had, it’s that I am a much better bike mechanic than I was.

Maybe a touring bike,
Maybe a touring bike, especially a modern one with discs, essentially does everything a CX can do but has the extras such as racks and guards better catered for. Take those off and stick CX tyres on and essentially you have a CX bike. (Touring does not necessarily equal heavy and CX does not necessarily equal light).

It might be the case that a CX is set up with a more aggressive riding position than most tourers but that’s generally just a matter of frame size and adjustments.

That said I used an old Dawes sports bike for everything TT, Road Race, converted for track, grass track, cyclo-cross, touring and commuting. I think most bikes are more versatile than many of us think. I even rode a couple of cross races on a Raleigh Pro (although I fell off a couple of times due to the 23mm road tyres, the side pull campag brakes were fine though!).

My Boardman has been great, I
My Boardman has been great, I didn’t get it from Halfords though. I can’t think if any type of bike which matches a cyclocross for versatility, large tyre options, mudguard mount capable road or sportive bike.

I had nightmares with my 2012
I had nightmares with my 2012 Boardman CX Team. The crank came off and after some light threats about head office and trading standards it was replaced with a brand new bike that the head of cycling at the branch built up personally.

It was still built up terribly, but at that point I gave up on Halfords entirely. I took it to a proper bike shop and got it fixed up (Billy Bilsland’s in Glasgow) and it became an amazing bike.

Replacing the rubbish front mech with a SRAM Force one made it a much better bike, and I love it a winter road bike and all year commuter.

I also replaced the Avid BB5 brakes, but that was more frustration at adjusting them than true necessity.

tl;dr Great bike but don’t let anyone in black & orange anywhere near it with a spanner.

Ok where do I start. 8 months
Ok where do I start. 8 months in………………..2 sets of cranks as they kept falling off, 3 Bottom brackets plus 2 sets of bearings, front mech bowed out and has been replaced with a Sram rival, front shifter broke, 2 free hubs only 4 weeks apart and the rear mech doesn’t sit as straight as it should straight . I am now on first name terms with the staff at my local halfords. When it works its great, it just doesn’t work that well very often.